New Bay Area beer releases include saisons, IPAs, hot chocolate stout

SAN FRANCISCO — Only a few more weeks until 2016 and there are still plenty of new beer releases to come from Bay Area breweries. Here’s our list of some new flavors Bay Area beer drinkers can expect to get on tap or in retail outlets from Bay Area breweries:

East Bay

Fieldwork — The Berkeley-based brewery has two new beers on tap this week: Meloncotté Tart Brett Saison and Hot Chocolate. Meloncotté is described by the brewery as “the result of brewing a Tart Apricot Saison, and then using a hefty dose of our Salted Watermelon Brett Gose to kick-off fermentation.” With an aroma described as “Gose with notes of watermelon surrounding it, quickly transitioning into an apricot bomb with the first sip,” this saison comes out at 6 percent alcohol. The Hot Chocolate beer is a must for beer drinkers who love Mexican Hot Chocolate. The brewery describes the beer as “a base beer consisting of a softly bittered Foreign Export Stout… we then added copious amounts of TCHO Chocolate, Cinnamon, Nutmeg, Cayenne Pepper, Milk Sugar, and Ancho Chilies.” Hot Chocolate comes out to 6.6 percent alcohol.

San Francisco

Local Brewing — The SoMa-based brewery released their Winter Sweater Imperial Porter, a 9 percent alcohol gut warmer brewed with chocolate malt, 40 pounds of graham cracker and deep, chocolate flavors. Available on draft at their taproom now.

Baeltane — Over in Novato, Baeltane has two new beers on tap. Freshly tapped today is their Biere de Table, a 4 percent alcohol table beer with dark and roasty notes as well as hints of chocolate. They recently released their Gypsy Dance Fig Saison on tap as well, described as “dry, fruity and effervescent.”

Marin Brewing — The Larkspur-based brewery released their Honey Badger IPA, a collaboration beer produced with Cellarmaker. The beer uses over 240 pounds of fresh wildflower Northern California honey, a combo of Simcoe and Australian Galaxy hops. Honey Badger IPA is on tap at Marin’s taproom.

Woodfour – The Sebastopol brewery specializing in farmhouse style beers is debuting four special release bottles today at their brewery. They’re also running a happy hour special all-day, so for those in the North Bay looking for fresh farmhouse beers, this is a must-try. Bottles available are their Quercus Reserve Fragaria, Quercus Reserve Bruin, Belgian Sloe and Sour Farmhouse. Bottles sales are limited to two per customer.

Outer Bay

Peter B’s Brewpub — Down in Monterey, Peter B’s Brewpub released their Full Metal Hop 2.0. Clocking in at 7.4 percent alcohol and 80 IBUs, the beer is hopped with Columbus, Amarillo, Simcoe and New Zealand Super Hop, and boasts aromas of ripe lemons and dried pine needles.

A Bay Area native with a self-taught appreciation for craft beer, Sam serves as editor of Liquid Bread. A web strategist by trade, Sam has over a decade of experience in digital marketing, content strategy and web management. Contact him at [email protected]

Bay Area Beer News

With an ever-evolving and comprehensive map of all Bay Area breweries, feature brewery highlights, and new beer roundups about from local breweries, Liquid Bread is the Bay Area's premiere and only dedicated news outlet for information about the local beer industry.